Rio Grande Sports Information
RIO GRANDE, Ohio - Less than 24 hours after a disappointing loss in the second game of Sunday's doubleheader against WVU-Tech, the University of Rio Grande had the chance to regain a winning feeling against and old foe from its days in the Mid-South Conference.
But the RedStorm's shot at victory turned out to be one big swing and a miss...make that multiple swings and misses.
Lindsey Wilson College pitching - namely freshman Kayden Murray - struck out 21 Rio Grande batters and limited the RedStorm to just one run in a twin bill sweep at Rio Softball Park.
The Blue Raiders took game one, 2-0, and posted a 3-1 triumph in the nightcap, pushing their season record to 20-17 in the process.
The two losses left Rio Grande at 23-15.
Murray blanked the RedStorm on two hits and fanned 14 in the opening game win.
She started - and finished - game two, tossing the first 2-2/3 innings and the final two frames, allowing two hits and striking out six while earning her 13th win in 18 decisions.
In game one, Lindsey Wilson managed just five hits against Rio junior Madison Ogden (Williamsburg, OH) but pushed across single runs in both the third and seventh innings.
The third inning marker crossed when Kendall Dailey drew a one-out walk and rode home on a triple to right-center by Brylee Pickerell.
The same combination produced the seventh inning run when Dailey singled with two outs and scored on a double to left-center by Pickerell.
Rio Grande twice put runners in scoring position during the game, but failed to capitalize on either scoring opportunity.
Ogden reached on a two-out, two-base error in the first inning, but Murray struck out junior Peyton Young (Mt. Orab, OH) to end the inning.
In the fifth, senior Lexi Carnahan (Felicity, OH) opened the inning with an infield single and moved to third when senior Sydney Campolo's (New Lexington, OH) sacrifice bunt attempt was errored, but Murray retired sophomore Natalie Bates (Vandalia, OH) on a foulout, sophomore Madison Perry (Portsmouth, OH) on a strikeout and senior Caitlyn Brisker (Oak Hill, OH) on a flyout to the wall in left-center.
Ogden suffered the hard-luck loss, allowing the five hits and two runs while walking two and fanning nine.
Game two saw the Blue Raiders push across a first inning run and two third inning markers to take a 3-0 lead. Kelsie Bostock drove in all three runs with a first inning groundout and a two-run single in the third.
Rio Grande scored its only run in the home third once Murray departed after retiring each of the first two batters.
Brisker greeted reliever Grace Adams with a double along the right field line, junior Boo Sturgill (Wheelersburg, OH) drew a walk and Ogden delivered a run-scoring hit to left, but the inning ended on a groundout by Young.
The RedStorm posed two other threats, but couldn't finish the comeback.
A leadoff single by freshman Madison Vivace (Indianapolis, IN), a one-out walk to Brisker and a two-out walk to Ogden loaded the bases in the fifth, but Savannah Robbins - the third LWC hurler - induced Young into an inning-ending flyout to center.
In the seventh, Bates had a one-out pinch-hit double to right-center to bring the tying run to the plate, but Murray fanned both Brisker and Sturgill to seal the win.
Pickerell, Bostock and Olivia Franchesci all had two hits in the win for the Blue Raiders, while Kayley Bruener and Dailey both doubled. Bostock and Franceschi's hit totals also included doubles.
Brisker had two of Rio's five hits in the loss.
Freshman Sammi Speakman (Jefferson, OH) took the loss for Rio in her first collegiate start, allowing six hits, a walk and the three runs over four innings.
Rio Grande returns to action on Friday when it hosts Ohio Christian University for a conference doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.
